Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-05-05
AERIAL NAVIGTION.
An Intricate Problem That a San Francisco
Man Claims to Have Solved.


lied in accordance with the statutes of
California, and its obiec is to startle the
world if the dreams of the projectors are
ever to be realized. It is no lessthan the
construction and operation of an airship.
The hour for trial is said to be near at
hand. The great "vessel Of the air" is
approaching completion, and trial trip
will be made in few months. The ever
lasting fortune of the company will utter
ly collapse.
The moving spirit in the enterprise is
''Prof." William Patterson who is not
unknown TO fame on the cost. The COM
pany had it's inception In July of last
year, Mr.. Patterson being sponsor. He
was modest, and fixed the capital stock
at only 100000, or fifty thousand shares
at 81 each. Upon these articles of 1ncor-
poration the following officers were
chosen. President, J. G.. Severance; sec
rotary, Charles E. Travers; treasurer, Ho-
ward Livingston; manager, William Fat
terson; engineer, j. A. Haste; directors,
j. G. Severance, S. S. Tilton, Howard
Livingston, G. M. Seeley, M. d., and VII
liam Patterson.
The practical aeronaut of the concern
is Mr. Patterson. The airshipin course of
construction is designed by him and ap-
proved by the engineer, in the latter case
no regard being had to the old saing, 1.-THE
more haste the less speed" MIR. Patter-
son is exceedingly enthusiastic and con-
fident. He has the theory of aerial nav
igation down pat, and is confident that
he will solve the interesting problem
The grave obstacles that others have en-
countered count not with him. de has
an apparently abiding faith in its ultl-
mate success. The faith of Darius Green
in his flying machine was not greater.
In conversation with a Chronicle re-
porter yesterday he said.
40, yes, there have been obstacles to
overcome. Capitalists have been slow to
take hold, but, mark my words''-polnt-
ing his index finger straight at the
scribe's south eye and raising his voice
to concert pitch-"mark my words! we'll
get there Just the same"
Having forever settled that particular
point, the professor took a drawing of
the proposed air-shie from his inner coat
pocket and proceeded with minute de-
scription of the seme.
The drawing shows the vessel to be
cigar-shaped, the upper portion being
the balloon paper, the lower half the
deck upon which the freight and passen-
gers are to be carried
navigator, sthat the deck of the vessel Is
closely connected with the balloon itself,
the two forming one cylindrical whole.
In this my ship differs from any which
has ever been constructed. The propul-
sive force, being pla ,ed at the point
where the balloon and car are Joined, L
am able to obtain a much better control
of the vessel than other aeronaut have
who have had the propulsivo force placed
in car suspended at a distance below
the balloon. In such cases a head wind
could not be prevented from driving the
balloon backward while aeronaut endeav-
orea to propel it ahead"
"There are other essential differences
between my ship and all Others" said .he
baIloonist "For example, do not pro-
propose to be incumbered with sand
bags or any other kind of ballast. In
lieu thereof / intend carrying machinery
which will enable me to create the force
necessary both to propel and to raise and
10 yer the ship"
''What machinery will you carry?"
''Three twelve-horse engines, one set to
operate the two auxiliary propellors, To-
Gated at equal distances from each other
at the bottom of the car, and one oper-
ating the driving propeller at the stern,
which latter also acts as the rudder.
''Tbe sole office OF the propellors first
mentioned is to aid in raising and lower
ing the ship without the loss of gas"
s'What sort of fuel will you user
ga coal-oil and steam spray, fed to the
furnaces by an injector. The boiler,
which has already been negotiated for,
will be forty horse power Herschof,
and will be furnished by Cole Brothers,
of Lockport, n. Y. Pure hydrogen gas
will be used, and will be generated in the
usual way, by iron turnings and steam.
"Where is the work being prosecuted?"
'Some parts right here In San Francis
co, where the vessel will be launched"
''When will it be launched?"
''Well. not later than the 1st of the
coming August. The balloon part of the
ship will be built in Philadelphia, as
there are in San Francisco no faculties
for its manufacture, The material is to
consist of an external and internal layer
of some kind of tough silk, internal with
thin sheet rubber, the whole covered by
tape netting, which being free from
knots, will give the very smallest amount
of friction possible
What rate OF speed will you be afle to
attain, do you imagine?"
under ordinary circumstances, mile
minute. With everything favorable, a
much greater speed"
How will you avoid head winds and ad-
verse currentsf"
simply by rising above or descend
ing to a level below them. This will be
easily done by operating the auxiliary
propellers in opposite directions. These,
you must understand are similar In shape
to ships screw, one motion causing the
vessel to rise and the opposite motion
drawing her down."
Suppose the balloon should break
when at high attitudes"
''That will be absolutely impossible, as
it will be provided with safety valves,
which will not allow of a pressure above a
given degree. Aside from this precau-
ton, rent in any part of the balloon
need not result disastrously, as by means
of parachute formed by the overhang-
ing sides of the decks it will be an
easy matter to lower the ship to the earth
as gently as a mother would lay down her
babe. 7 have taken even another pre-